


Room

by peculiarmars



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Room - Emma Donoghue
Genre: Abduction, Captivity, F/M, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Living in Captivity, M/M, POV Scorpius Malfoy, Room AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-06 21:56:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12826929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peculiarmars/pseuds/peculiarmars
Summary: Scorpius is five years old and lives in a single, locked room with his Pa.Based on Room by Emma Donoghue





	1. Presents

 

_Once upon a time, before I came, you were all alone. You cried and cried and watched TV all day and were like a zombie. But you wished and wished for me, and Light flickered and I came shooting out onto rug, NYOOM. Then you cutted the cord and said 'Hello Scorpius.'_

 

I blink my eyes open. Today is a special day. It's my birthday and I'm five. Before today I was four, then a bit of time ago I was three then two then one then zero. Five is the biggest I've ever been.

 

"Pa, wake up!" I nudge him. He groans and slowly opens his eyes. "Pa, I'm five!" He wraps his arms around me and rolls me up in a hug. "Happy birthday, Scorp." He whispers into my hair, white like his. Pa insists that its white-blond, but it's really just white.

 

"Pa," I ask. "was I negative before zero?"

 

Pa laughs. "No, you weren't born before you were zero."

 

"Where was I before then?" I ask, pulling off my sleep top and pulling on a pair of pants. Pa shrugs.

 

"You were in the Sky." Pa says vaguely. He means outer space.

 

"And then you wished and wished for me, and I came crashing down through Light onto rug?"

 

Pa laughs again. "Something like that, Scorp."

 

Pa gets breakfast ready whilst I say hello to Room. I say hello to Eggsnake, Wardrobe, Sink, to TV. I have to say hello to Room otherwise it won't know to be awake and it might sleep through my birthday.

 

"It's my birthday!" I whisper to Eggsnake. He's my favourite.  "Pa, it's my birthday. I'm five."

 

Pa smiles at me as he ties his long hair back. My hair goes down my back all the way to my butt and Pa's goes down a little way past his shoulders.  "So, Mr.Five, what would you like to do first, eat breakfast or find out what special activity we're doing today?"

 

I chew on my finger as I decide. I choose breakfast first.

 

I have to take a vitamin before everything. Pa says they'll keep me strong. He doesn't have vitamins, he says he doesn't need one, and he's bigger than me so I think he's strong anyway. Then we have breakfast. It's cornflakes. Pa pours both of ours to make sure I get the right amount, I'm rubbish at counting but Pa used to say it's because I'm only four. But now I'm five, I might be better at it. Halfway through he starts rubbing the outside of his mouth. "Is Bad Tooth hurting?" I ask. He nods and taps his head.

 

"There are worse things." He reminds me.

 

"Like your bad wrist?" I ask. Pa nods.

 

"Just like my bad wrist."

 

I finish my breakfast extra quick because I want to find out what Pa has planned. Last year on my birthday I got a thing called a sugar mouse, and it took me all day to eat it.

 

"Mr Five, how do you feel about baking a birthday cake?" Pa asks.

 

My mouth drops open.

 

"A birthday cake? Like in TV?" I say, not really believing him. I didn't even know they existed in Room. I thought it was just a TV thing or a story thing, like dogs and dragons and pigeons.

 

"Just like TV, but real."

 

I grin toothily. "No way."

 

Pa laughs. Before we have birthday cake, we have to exercise first. Pa says I'm the best at stretch and running, but I think he's lying because he can stretch more than me, even though I can almost get both legs to go in completely opposite directions. I'm super better at running. Pa doesn't do running because he's too tall and it only takes him one big step to get from one end of room to the other.

 

I jump up and down on Bed as Pa puts Table back where it should be on top of Rug.

 

"I'm Scorpius the dragon slayer! I'm gonna burst out of Light and with my dragon and bong bong bong with all of the planets and dragons!"

 

Making a cake is messy and fun. The flour goes everywhere, mostly because we threw some at each other when I got bored. Pa lets me do the stirring because of his bad wrist, his left one is all red and bruised a bit below the tattoo and around the bracelet. We have to be careful not to crack the eggshells too bad, Eggsnake needs them to grow. When it's baking I wash up and Pa sleeps. He sleeps a lot more than I do, even though I'm smaller. He says it's because he gets less energy from sleep, so he has to do it more.

 

I watch TV while the cake is baking. Teletubbies is on, and Po is my favourite, because it sounds like Pa. I watch it until Pa pulls back the covers in bed and then quickly turn it off, wanting to taste the cake.

 

The cake is done in the next five minutes and Pa makes me wait at Table while he puts the icing and candles and fire on. I close my eyes while he puts it down.

 

The cake is as big as the plate, and the icing is white and has 5, the number way not the letter way, on it. There's no candles and no fire. I don't understand. It can't be a birthday cake without them.

 

"Now with the candles and fire?" I ask, confused.

 

Pa makes a face. "We don't have any candles, Scorp."

 

But how can it be a birthday cake if there's no candles. "You said a birthday cake for real. That means candles and fire." I know I'm scowling, but I wanted candles. Pa said it would be a real birthday cake.

 

"It's okay without the candles, Scorp. " Pa says.

 

"You should've asked Old Tom and Red for candles for Sundaytreat, not dumb jeans."

 

"Scorpius." He says in his warning voice. "I can only ask for things we need, like actual food that will last and that They can get easily."

 

"They get anything, by magic, like at the magic school!" Pa pales a bit, and his face goes funny for a second.

 

"C'mon, lets try a bite." He tries. I know I'm being mean but I can't help it. He promised it was like a TV cake.

 

I huff loudly in defeat. I don't like it when Pa's face goes funny, it makes my tummy twist. Even though I don't want any without candles, I nod.

 

"'Kay."

 

Pa cuts me a slice, a quarter because it's cut in four pieces, and I take a bit. It tastes sweet and yummy, just like I thought TV cakes would taste. The icing makes my fingers sticky, though. Pa normally tells me to wash my hands in Sink when they get sticky but he says because it's my birthday I don't have to wash them yet and can just lick it off, and he gives me the cup with the leftover icing in it.

 

After I finish the all the icing Pa does make me wash my hands, and then I measure myself on the bit of wall next to Door.

 

"Have I grown much?"

 

Pa grins. "So much, young gentleman, I assure you. You'll be bigger than me in no time!" He says in his posh voice which he uses when making fun of people on TV. I giggle.

 

"I'll grow so big that I'll burst out of Room and zoom around in outer space!"

 

"I hope you won't leave your old Pa behind!" Pa says.

 

"Never never never!" I chant. I turn my head to look at how high I am, and it says _104CM_ in marker pen. Last year I was only 99CM!

 

I watch TV with Pa for a bit, but the picture keeps going all fuzzy. Pa just says we'll have to make do, so instead of watching the fuzzy TV we play snap on Bed. I win, matching six pairs while Pa only matches three. There used to be another pair of cards but I chewed one up when I was a baby, so Pa pinned the chewed up one inside Wardrobe and tucked the other one in between the pages of _Tales of Beedle the Bard_ , like a bookmark.

 

We have Bath after, and we play mermen. The sea is too big to exist in Room, from what the old man on TV says, but it would be nice. I get extra bubbles too, as I'm five. Pa makes me a bubble crown and he gets a bubble beard. I want to keep it on forever, but I can't because bubbles disappear after a bit and Pa has to wash my hair. My hair is white like his and it takes longer to wash because it's much longer than Pa's and he says it's also baby-fine.

 

After Bath Pa tells me stories. My favourites are the ones about the magic school. Pa always says he's in Slytherin, so that means I'd be a Slytherin too. But not really 'cause schools and snakes are just something that's in TV. TV things aren't real. Well, most of them aren't. Cake is. I hope dragons are too.

 

Pa does the spell and I have lots whilst he finishes the story, this one about a brave dragon slayer defeating the bad dragon so the rest of the world could live in peace. It's a bit silly how Pa sometimes talks about the world as if it exists, because really, there's only me and him and Room.

 

I'm only half asleep when he puts me in Wardrobe. I can't get properly asleep 'cause I don't want my birthday to end, so I stay awake when Door goes beep beep beep and They come in. I'm not supposed to do that.

 

Sometimes it's only one, today it's both. Old Tom and Red. I sit up and wait for them to talk. They always do before Pa does. Pa doesn't really talk to them much, and he never talks to me about them, he just says it's his business and changes the subject. I think it's because They're are only Half-real, not real real like me a Pa.

 

"Is that birthday cake?" Red asks. I can't see Pa but he doesn't say anything. I think he nods.

 

"Really? You should've told us, we would've got him something. How is he now, four?" Old Tom says, his voice much deeper than Red's.

 

"Five." I whisper. Red doesn't hear me, just kicks off her trousers. Red and Old Tom both go over to Bed so I can't see them. I lay back down and count.

 

Bed creaks once, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.

 

  

* * *

 

 

_There's Room, then Outer Space with all the TV planets. Plant is real but not trees. Spiders are real and one time the Mosquito that was sucking my blood, but Dogs and Squirrels and Dragons are just TV. Monsters are too big to be real, like the Sea. Old Tom and Red? I don't know if they're real. Maybe half._

 

  
Forty seven, forty eight, forty nine, fifty, fifty one -

 

It's weird how I always wake up in Bed even when I go to sleep in Wardrobe.  I think Pa gets lonely in the night and so puts me in Bed with him. He has to wait until Old Tom and Red are gone because I don't think they're allowed to see me, 'cause it might make me unreal.

 

"Pa, why is it so cold?" I shiver when I get out of Bed to get breakfast. Even through my socks my feet are freezing. Pa passes me one of his jumpers, a woolly one that goes all the way down to my knees.

 

"It's only January, Scorp. It's been colder, don't you remember?" I munch on my cornflakes, thinking.

 

"Like when I got really sick and puked everywhere when I was three?"

 

"Technically that was because we accidently ate mouldy food, but I guess you wouldn't remember, you were only one."

 

"What happened?"

 

"It was before we had the heater-" Pa nods at the heater, attached to the wall near Wardrobe. "It got so cold that the water wouldn't warm up properly, so I couldn't give you a bath. I had to keep you wrapped up in the blanket so you wouldn't freeze."

 

"I don't remember that." I don't remember not having Heater, either. I thought it had always been here, like Pa. It only gets turned on at eleven to five, according to the numbers on Watch. They turn it off, from outer space, which is behind Door. I know it for sure because when it goes _beep beep beep_ and They come in I can feel the cold come in.

 

They turn Light off, too. They turn it off just before they come in, but They leave Lamp on so it's not really really dark until Pa turns it off.

 

After Pa puts the breakfast bowls in Sink he gets out the tinfoil. I grin. We made a tinfoil boat and floated it in Toilet's top a bit of time ago. Pa said that when we had spare tinfoil we could make some more.

 

With my bit I make a baby dragon with wings so it can fly near Light. I wanted to make a bigger dragon, a Pa dragon, but we don't have enough. Pa makes a small person with a longer bit of rolled-up tinfoil in his hand.

 

"Is he holding a tinfoil roll?" I ask.

 

"No, he's got a wand, a magic one. He's going to wave it and go on adventures through the ocean." He points to Toilet's top.

 

"And with Baby Dragon! They're gonna burst out of Light and zoom through all of the TV planets!"

 

I take Baby Dragon and Pa's person (Mini-Pa) and makes them _zoom zoom zoom_ around Room while Pa makes lunch. We go all the way up to Light, and Mini-Pa whispers that it's not a good idea because we'll burn, so I hope down from Chair Number One and jump into Bath, getting Baby Dragon to cool down so he doesn't burn and go meltedy.

 

Flat Knife goes _thup_ as it hits Chopping Board. Chopping Board is green and very scratchy. Pa picks out the seeds for me - I hate it when I accidently swallow one, they get stuck in my throat, so instead we put them in the same pot as Plant, and one day they'll grow so much they'll touch the tippity top of Room. He hands me my half of the apple.

 

Pa takes a bite from his half and gasps. He drops the apple on Counter and reaches with both hands inside his mouth. He pulls them out, covered in blood and holding something small. I squint.

 

"Is it Bad Tooth?" I ask. Pa nods.  "Can I hold it?" I hold out my hand and Pa puts it in my palm. It's smaller than I thought it would be, it was a big ache so I thought it would be a big tooth. It's more bloodier, too.

 

Pa leaves his half on Counter and washes his mouth out with Sink's water.

 

"Why'd it come out?"

 

Pa wipes his mouth on his sleeve. _I'm_ not allowed to do that. Pa says it's dirty.

 

"You know I told you about before you came?"

 

"When you were lonely and walked around like a zombie?" Pa was sad before I came. He laid in bed all day and everyday and watched TV over and over, and didn't even make fun of the flat persons. A zombie is like a dead me or Pa, but it walks all floppy.

 

Pa's nodding. "Yeah, and I forgot to brush my teeth, and I remembered when you came, but the damage had been done. That's why Bad Tooth fell out." I brush everyday after breakfast and before Wardrobe, so my teeth are clean clean clean!

 

"So, mine won't fall out?"

 

"Actually they will," He muses, "but your teeth are baby teeth, so they're supposed to come out. You have your adult teeth underneath."

 

"How do I make them stick in my mouth?"

 

Pa does the weird laugh that means I've said something funny without realising.

 

"You can't. It'll probably be a while before they come out, anyway." I don't like the sound of probably.

 

I finish my half before Pa. His face looks funny 'cause his cheek is like a hamsters 'cause he stuck Toilet's roll in his mouth to stop the blood.

 

I put Baby Dragon in Toilet's top so she can drink some water, and then get Remote and turn on TV. I flick the 'Up' button, most of the pictures are fuzzy but then I get one that isn't. The pictures are of two man in a car and are darkish.

 

_"The kids okay?" One asks._

 

"I'm fine." I whisper.

 

_"Well, I didn't ask. Why wouldn't they be?"_

 

_"Kids get scared."_

 

"No, I don't." I say back. I'm maybe lying just a little bit, but TV persons don't have to know that.

 

"Hmm?" Pa says from Counter. He looks at the TV. "What are you watching?" I shrug.

 

"I dunno. But it's dark!" Pa makes an 'oh' noise and goes back to Counter to finish his half.

 

Pa sits down next to me when he's finished, leaning against Bed, and I wriggle into his lap and get his arms to wrap around me. Pa always is warmer than me.

 

"Have you figured out what it is yet?"

 

"Nuh uh." I've never seen any flat persons like this before.

 

"Ew!" I exclaim as a bloody, furry thing hits the see-through bit of the car the TV persons are in.

 

Pa starts. "I'm not sure if this is appropriate-"

 

"No! It is, I swear!" I've never never seen anything like this before, TV persons don't usually look like this. I don't want TV to go blank. "Please, Pa!" Pa sighs and I know he's giving in.

 

"If it gives you nightmares it's your fault." He mutters.

 

"What's a nightmare?"

 

"A dream but scary."

 

The only scary things I can think of are Old Tom and Red. Does it count as a nightmare if I'm awake? I'll have to ask Pa, except he might not answer because he doesn't like talking about Them.

 

The film makes me jump a few times, and is almost scary but not really because it's flat and flat things aren't real, unless it's paper. Pa jumps at the same bits I do, so he can't say anything about me being scared.

 

My legs are stiff when I get up so I jump on Bed a few times to make them feel okay again. It's a fuzzy kind of feeling, like when TV goes fuzzy but it's in my legs and they aren't flat.

 

We get Quick Noodles for dinner. I get the biggest one, and I go _slurp_ all down my throat until there's none left.

 

Pa washes my hair and lets me splash, but we don't have any bubbles today and he says he's too tired for Mermen.

 

I have more from the left when he tells me my story. He tells me about a boy that went to the magic school and found a snake down Toilet, and then learnt the snake's language to become his friend. It's a weird story.

 

I'm asleep before I even get into Wardrobe.

 

    

* * *

 

 

Pa walks around funny, but not a haha way, the next day. He's having a zombie day, where he walks all slowly, _thump thump_. It's like a Gone Day, except on Gone Day's Pa doesn't move from Bed.

 

The tattoo arm with the bracelet looks purple. I want to ask why, but I don't like it when Pa is like a zombie. He either doesn't talk or talks all snappy. He only eats two spoonful's of his cornflakes before he pushes the bowl towards me.

 

He pushes back Chair Number One and goes over to Counter, and just stands there, silently with his back to me.

 

"Pa?" I say quietly. He puts his hand up to his mouth, and his shoulders start vibrating. I jump out of Chair Number Two and tug his sleep shirt.

 

"Pa?" Without much warning he reaches down and lifts me off my feet. His arms crush me against his chest, but it's a nice type of crush, a warm one.

 

"Is Bad Tooth still hurting, Pa, is it that?" I feel him nod against my shoulder.

 

"Oh." I say. "Well, it won't always hurt, I guess? Like that time I smacked my head against table, the hurt went away after a bit."

 

"You're amazing, you know that?" It sounds like he's laughing.

 

"I'm Scorpius the dragon slayer, of course I'm amazing." Pa chuckles.

 

Pa has a sleep a bit of hours later, and I'm not allowed the TV on today. Pa says his head is hurting again. He says it a lot and rubs his forehead a lot. I think that maybe Bad Tooth's hurt has gone and he's noticing other hurts now.

 

I start picking a lose thread on Rug. Pa told me lots of times not to, but he's asleep so he won't know. I try to find the cobweb under Table but Mr Spider isn't there today. I haven't told Pa about him because he goes _SMACK_ with his good hand and kills them dead. He says it's because they eat the food, but they're too small to really do anything.

 

I hear a squeak and then look up from the thread.

 

There's -

 

There's a _mouse_.

 

A real mouse. A _live_ thing. In Room. I didn't know they really existed. I quietly reach up to get the cheese that Pa got last night and put a chunk on the floor. Mouse leans forwards and sniffs it and I think he's about to take a bite and then BAM!

 

I jump and spin around to stare at Pa. Mouse is gone, a big book in her place. _Tales of Beedle the Bard_.

 

"You killed him!" I yell using my loud voice. Pa gets on his hands and knees and reaches past Counter and into the hole where Mouse must've vanished. He doesn't deny it. I climb up onto Counter to get to his height when he straightens up.

 

"Mouse was my friend, and you splattered him dead!" I yell in his ear. Pa doesn't look at me.

 

"No I didn't." He grabs some tinfoil and rips a chunk off and shoves it behind Counter. "Mouse is safe and sound in the basement with his Pa. Get down off the counter, now."

 

"What basement?" I ask, confused. I've never heard of a basement before. Pa doesn't hear me well and doesn't say anything back. He stands up and gets the cheese, taking Flat Knife and cutting the bit Mouse sniffed off. He puts it back in Fridge and slams Fridge's door shut so hard I can hear Juice rattle.

 

"Or fine, don't get off. If you fall and hurt yourself then it's on your head!"

 

"Why would I fall on my _head_?"

 

"It's a figure of speech! I didn't mean it literally!" We're both yelling at each other now.

 

"Then why did you say it?!" I shout, standing on Counter. I have to duck so I don't smack my head on Ceiling.

 

"Because I _did_!" He roars.

 

Before I can stop it I'm crying, louder than I was yelling.

 

"Oh, Scorpius, I'm sorry," Pa scoops me off Counter and rocks me like a baby. He takes me over to Bed. We lay with our backs on Blanket and our legs stretching up Bed Wall. Pa does the spell and I have lots from the right while he strokes my hair.

 

"Why didn't you tell Old Tom and Red about my birthday?" I ask after a bit of silence, after I'm done.

 

"You're not supposed to me listening to that. You're supposed to be asleep." Pa says slowly. He doesn't sound mad, though, just tired.

 

"They said they would get me a present. I never had a present." I remind him.

 

"They weren't telling the truth, Scorp, they were saying it to be spiteful. That's what They do."

 

"But what if. . ."

 

Pa does that thing where he closes his eyes and doesn't say anything. I used to think it was because his battery was all used up and he needed to charge or get new ones, like the time the bulb in Lamp died and he had to ask Them for a new one. It takes him a long time to open them again.

 

"Pa," I ask quietly. "when's your birthday?"

 

"June fifth." He says.

 

"And mine's the. . .?"

 

"January thirteenth." He says tiredly. Pa measures lots and lots of time in weeks and months, and he names each month. I don't see the point, Room is the same every day and every night.

 

"How old are you going to be?"

 

Pa waits a minute. "Twenty-six." His voice sounds all cracked.

 

"Wow." I've said the wrong thing but I don't know why. I never said happy birthday to Pa before. I didn't really think that he had a birthday. He never seems to get older or bigger, he is always the same as before, just Pa.

 

Pa makes pasta for dinner. That's how Meltedy Spoon got her name - he left it too close to Pan while Stove was on fire. Pa still looks a bit like a zombie; his face is flat, like a TV person, but he isn't yelling. Maybe his hurt went away.

 

We wash our clothes in Bath today. I have my spare jumper, my shorts and two pants, my top and my long, fluffy-inside trousers. Pa has his long sleeve top and his shorts, and three pants.

 

"Sing." I say when he puts me down in Wardrobe.

 

"One evening as the sun went down and the jungle fires were burning, down the track came a hobo hiking, and he said, "Boys, I'm not turning;  I'm headed for a land that's far away beside the crystal fountains so come with me, we'll go and see the big rock candy mountains. In the big rock candy mountains, there's a land that's fair and bright, where the hand-outs grow on bushes and you sleep out every night -" There's a thud outside Door and then the _beep beep beep_. Pa shuts the doors quickly.

 

"Evening." Red says. It's just her today. Pa doesn't say anything back. She hands him a plastic bag.

 

"I got you some of the stuff you asked for."

 

I watch Pa through the slats, avoiding Red's face. Pa goes through it and puts things in different places. Red sits down in Chair Number One.

 

"Not even an ounce of gratitude?" She snorts, like a pig.  "I mean, it's only us who provides you and the kid with food, water electricity. Just the basics." I think she's doing sarcasm but her voice is all nasty and I don't like it.

 

"Thank you." Pa says in a whisper voice.

 

"See, that was hardly difficult, was it?" Her voice sounds even nastier but I'm not sure why. "Oh, and speaking of the kid, I've got him something." She puts something on Table. I gasp inside Wardrobe.

 

I don't do it quietly enough because Pa spins around to look at me and Red gets out of her chair and puts her face close to the slats. I lean away from them.

 

"Hey, hey Scorpius, how are you?" Pa's shaking his head a lot from behind her. I don't say anything.

 

"He's supposed to be asleep." Pa says.

 

"One late night is hardly going to hurt him." Red says dismissively. Her hand touches the slat. It starts to creak. I hold my breath. "Hey, Scorpius, do you want some sweets? I've a lollipop here," She puts something small and round on a stick near slats.

 

"Come to bed," Pa says, going over to bed out of my view. "please." He adds.

 

Red rolls her eyes and her face twists something mean, shoving her hand and the lollipop back into her pocket.

 

"Fine, fine, blondie, if you're so worked up for it." She pulls off her top and then goes back up to Bed with Pa. I count up to one hundred and sixty eight creaks. I'm nearly asleep when I hear a thud and then it's all quiet.

 

I wait, holding my breath so it doesn't wake Red up, and slowly push Wardrobe's doors open. They squeak and I wince, staying super still, but neither Pa nor Red move. I think they're both sleeping.

 

I creep on my tiptoes over to Red's jacket - huh, it's red like her name- and reach into the inside pocket. I feel the stick and pull it out. I quietly climb back inside Wardrobe and close the doors.

 

    

* * *

 

 

When I wake up in Bed Pa isn't next to me, and Bed is cold, even with Blanket. I sit up and pull Blanket off me.

 

Pa is sitting at on Chair Number One, rubbing his mouth. There's a weird greyish mark on his cheek. On Table next to him there's a see-through plastic box, the one Red put down last night. _A present._

 

I leap out of Bed and put my hand on the plastic. "Can I open it?" I say as I begin tearing the box open, not waiting for an answer. Out of the corner of my eye I see Pa nod.

 

Inside the plastic there's a car, a bit bigger than my foot. There's a remote control for it, a bit different to TV's remote, but it works in the same way sort of. I grin as I drive the car around room. It makes a really loud vroom noise like the racing cars on TV do. I ask Pa if he wants ago but he says no and makes breakfast instead.

   
After breakfast we do Scream. Pa's scream is always louder than mine, he says it's because he's bigger so his noise is bigger. I don't think he's truthing about that though, because Car is small but also really loud. My scream is a little bit smaller, but soon I'll be as big as Pa so I'll hopefully be louderer.

 

"Pa, why do the aliens never scream back?" I ask in a break. We scream to keep the bad things away. The monsters and aliens. I'm not sure if Old Tom and Red go into that category or not. Maybe, but they keep coming back, so maybe not.

 

"I guess we haven't screamed loud enough." Pa's face seems weirdly sad. I think I've said the wrong thing again but I don't know what.

 

  
"We'll just have to scream even louderer!" I declare. Pa and me take a deep breath before screaming the loudest scream we've ever seen. But for some reason the aliens still don't answer back.

 

"Maybe they're just lost in outer space?" I guess.

 

"Maybe, I guess we'll just have to keep trying." Pa looks tired, so I do the rest of Scream alone, but they still don't scream back.

 

After Scream Pa says I have to do Mathematics before I play with Car. Pa makes me go through all of my two times tables and then a bit of the threes. I don't get threes very well. Sometimes Pa gets out the big book of everything, called an encyclopaedia, and says random things and I have to guess what they are. Most of the time I've seen them on TV. It's nice that there's a book that says everything that's on TV, so then on a Gone Day I don't need to wake Pa up to ask a question.

 

"If I'm five and your nearly twenty-six, does that make me almost five times smaller than you?"

 

"Sort of, fives don't really multiply that way. If I'm twenty five now and your five, how old was I when you were born?"

 

"Twenty!"

 

After Pa lets me finish with Mathematics I race Car around Room. I keep banging into Table so Pa helps me lift it onto Bed for a bit. After hours and hours I get tired of racing Car and so I put Table back in its correct place and lay on Bed. Car isn't as fast on Bed as it is on the floor. It keeps almost falling off, as well.

 

"Pa, it's electrocuting me now! Ahhh!" I roll around on Bed, mimicking being electrocuted. I saw someone get electrocuted on TV once.

 

Pa looks up from what he's cooking. "Oh no." He says and then turns away.

 

I accidently lean on the controller and Car jabs me in the tummy. "Ow, ow." I mumble. I sit up and smell something funny. Not ha-ha funny, but a bad kind of funny. I look at Pa. "Pa, what smells bad?"

 

Pa glances at me then at the toaster, sticking his hands in and wincing when they get burned. He says a bad word that I'm not allowed to repeat. "Eww." I mumble. Room smells bad for the rest of the day.

 

"It least it doesn't smell as bad as it did when I was sick." I say while eating my cheese on toast. Pa has the burnt piece. I don't think he really minds, he isn't eating that much of it anyway.

 

"There are worse things." Pa says, tapping his bad wrist. I nod. Being sick made Room smell for _weeks_.

 

Pa and me play mermen in Bath, like we did on my birthday. We end up staying the bath longer than usual because the numbers on Watch are smaller than they usually are which means we have more minutes before They come. Pa says that they come later on Monday's so it would've been fine anyway. That's another one of his weird names for time.

 

Because we have so much time we decide to make Eggsnake grow using the eggs from my birthday. TV is showing a grainy picture because the signal isn't very good today. Neither of us actually watch it, it's just noise in the background.

 

"Pa, where do we go when we're asleep?"

 

"Right here in Room."

 

"But dreams; do we go into TV for dreaming?" My eyes flick to the grainy picture and then back at Pa's face.

 

"We're never anywhere but here." Pa squints as he pushes the needle through one of Eggsnake's shells.

 

"Can you have a nightmare if you're awake?" I ask. Pa shrugs.

 

"I guess things can feel like a nightmare, but not really, no."

 

I guess Old Tom and Red aren't nightmares, then. Besides, They bring us Sundaytreat so how bad can They be?

 

We put Eggsnake under Bed when we're done. Eggsnake does a lot of hibernating. Pa lifts up his top and does the spell. I have lots from the right. Pa tells me another story, tonight from Tales of Beedle the Bard.

 

I'm wide awake when Door goes _beep beep beep_. It's just Old Tom today. He has a bag that he hands to Pa too.

 

"What's that smell?" Old Tom asks.

 

"I burnt some cheese earlier. Sorry, I just wasn't thinking." Pa does the same thing he does with Red; turns away and puts the things Old Tom brought in from space away in Fridge or Shelf.

 

Old Tom laughs cruelly. "Thinking isn't your strong point."

 

Pa makes a small noise back and I'm not sure if he's agreeing or not. I hope he's not; Pa is the bestest thinker ever.

 

"The vitamins?" He asks suddenly.

 

Old Tom does a sigh and a nodding thing. I think it's sarcasm but silent. "There's nothing in them."

 

Pa sighs. "Maybe if we had a better diet." He mutters, except not really because I can hear him.

 

"Fuck, here we go again. Maybe if you could stop complaining, and be a little grateful for what you have."

 

Pa goes all stiff over the counter. "Thank you... for everything." He says in a whisper voice, quickly turning around and then looking away again.

 

"Yeah, and what do you go and do? Raise a goddamn kleptomaniac." I don't know what that means, but he sounds so _angry_.

 

"What?" Pa's voice is quieter than a whisper.

 

"See!" Old Tom waggles his finger at Pa. "You can't even control the little shite. Ruby offered him something but he politely declined, and guess what was missing this afternoon?"

 

Who's _Ruby_? And what is he-

 

_Oh_

 

The _lollipop_! I reach under Wardrobe's pillow and pull it out, still in its wrapper. Maybe if I gave it back he wouldn't be so mad. . .

 

"So I think it's time the little shite learned a lesson." Old Tom stands suddenly and Pa jumps. He turns and stares straight at me. I want to hide under Blanket, but I can't move.

 

"No! Not him, you have me!" Pa says in a wobbly, almost shouty voice. Old Tom takes another step towards me, almost reaching Wardrobe's doors.

 

"No!" Pa yells. He pushes Old Tom away from Wardrobe and stands in front of it, blocking my view.

 

"The fuck did you just-!" Old Tom roars. I gasp, but they don't hear me because Old Tom grabs Pa and throws him from in front of Wardrobe.

 

There's a thud, and then another and then Bed starts creaking, faster and louder than it ever has before. Someone makes a choking sound.

 

"Do you want to fucking breathe?" Old Tom yells.

 

"Don't - Touch. . ." Pa voice sounds all croaky and scratchy and horrible and painful.

 

"Do you wanna breathe?!" Old Tom yells.

 

Someone makes a weird noise. I think it's Pa; it has to be because Old Tom is still yelling.

 

"Then shut the fuck up!"

 

Someone takes in a huge breath. "Don't touch him, don't touch him!" Pa repeats.

 

"Ever grab me like that, I'll fucking kill you. And your brat."

 

"Don't touch him!" Pa's voice sounds all horrible and raspy and _it's all my fault_.

 

"Why don't you think about how you got him?" I don't know what Old Tom means by that, but then Door goes beep beep beep and he's gone.

 

"Scorp? Scorpius?" Pa croaks.

 

I run out of Wardrobe and onto Bed, Pa wraps his arms around me and holds me close. Lamp is on and Pa's eyes are red and his neck has dark patches and his pants are at his knees. He yanks them up with one arm and holds me tightly with the other.

 

Pa rocks me back and forth and suddenly Room goes black. I gasp in Pa's arms.

 

"Pa, what's happening?" I hear him say a bad word.

 

"They. . . I think They cut the power." Pa gets out of Bed and I hear Wardrobe open. He gets out my warm clothes and we both put them on. I hear a thud and freeze, thinking it's Them, but it's just Pa trying to open Door. Dumbo Pa. We can't open Door, only They can. "What do we do?"

 

Pa slides into Bed next to be, pulling me close again. I wrap my arms and legs around him and press my face into his hair. "Just sleep, Scorp." I don't want to sleep but I'm tired and -


	2. Unlying

_I hear a splash, and I reach an arm out of Bed._

 

_"Pa?" I whisper, shivering._

 

_"Go back to sleep." Pa whispers back._

 

I can't figure out if my eyes are open or not. It's so dark that whenever I open them it looks just like it does when they're closed. I've never seen it so dark. Usually Light is turned off at night before They come in, but Pa turns Lamp on and Light is back on when we wake up. But They still haven't turned the power back on.

 

"Pa?" I nudge him with my sharp elbows. "Pa, Pa, wake up!"

 

He groans and I think he opens his eyes. I can't be sure, though.

 

"What?" His voice is hard and scratchy and it doesn't sound like Pa at all.

 

"Light isn't on." I whisper.  "It's blacker than black."

 

Pa groans again and wraps Blanket around me. "Go back to sleep." He says. He doesn't say anything else either. I don't know how he can sleep so quick.

 

My brain is too loud to sleep, so I count my teeth and my toes. Sometimes I do it in ones, twos, threes (I'm a bit rubbish at threes) fives. I get bored of counting them when I've counted them lots and lots so then try to count Pa's breaths. I get up to forty-two when there's click and Light comes back on. Finally.

 

I wiggle out of Blanket and go to Wardrobe and pick up Car from where I left it last night. I think about the lollipop that made Pa get hurt.  Car suddenly doesn't seem as exciting as before, so I put it back in Wardrobe and slam her doors shut. Pa makes a small noise from Bed.

 

"Scorp?" He says. He sits up, his hair a mess and blinking at Light. He pushes Blanket off from around him and does a wobbly walk over to Fridge. The light inside doesn't come on like it usually would. Maybe it's dead. Pa reaches over to Sink and turns her taps but water doesn't come out. Pa puts both hands on Sink and takes a big breath.

 

"Pa-"

 

"They haven't turned anything else on. We'll just. . . have to eat the dry foods, no frozen. . ." I don't think he is talking to me.

 

"Pa-" I say again, but he keeps talking.

 

"They have to turn it back on soon, or they have to come back with more-"

 

"Pa!" I yell. Pa turns. "Why's you got dirt on your neck?" Pa slaps his neck. There are spots of dark colours on Pa's neck and his eye is completely black, like that time I tripped over Eggsnake and banged my knee and had a big bruise on it. Except Pa hasn't tripped over anything. . .

 

"Leave it, Scorp." He goes over to Shelf and pulls down the cereal.

 

"But-"

 

"Scorpius." Pa says in the voice that means that he isn't going to tell me anything no matter what I say. I huff loudly and sit in Chair Number One. Pa rolls his eyes and puts the bowl of cereal down in front of me.

 

"I'm not hungry." I say.

 

"Tough." Pa says moodily.

 

"I want chocolate."

 

"Tough." He repeats.

 

"I want sweets."

 

"Tough." I think his brain is stuck repeating, like when Watch went funny and it just went in circles again and again instead of saying the actual numbers.

 

"Why'd they turn the power off?" I ask instead. It's boring when he refuses to talk properly. Pa pauses and I don't think he's going to answer.

 

"Old Tom, he wanted to punish me."

 

"Was it because. . .?" I don't finish what I was going to say. Pa shakes his head quickly anyway.

 

"No, no, he and Red just hate us."

 

I'm confused. "But they gets us Sundaytreat?"

 

Pa stares at me. "Yes, but it's different." He says slowly.

 

"Why?"

 

Pa stands up and takes his bowl of cornflakes and pours them back in the box. I'm not allowed to do that with my food, Pa is because he's older so he makes the rules. I can't wait until I'm as old as him so I can make the rules of Room. The first one would be that no one gets to turn the power off. The second would be that Pa has no Gone Days ever.

 

"Just give it a rest, Scorp? They're bad because I said so, okay?" Pa kneels down to where Mouse was the other day and presses his hand into the bit where he got vanished. He goes over to Door and tries to pull it, but it stays where it's supposed to be, duh. Door can only be opened by Old Tom and Red.

 

He sits down on Bed and stares at me.

 

"Eat your breakfast."

 

"But I'm not hungry." I say. I sort of actually am but I don't want Pa to win this argument. We don't ever argue, not really, but I can't help it. I want the power to come back on and I want to watch TV and I want Pa to not be all mad and I want the dirt on his neck and his eye to go away.

 

"Then don't eat it."

 

"What did Old Tom mean by what he said? The careful where you got him bit?"

 

"He meant that he thinks I got you from him-"

 

"Like for a Sundaytreat?" I can't remember being a Sundaytreat. I don't remember ever being in outer space either. One moment I was in outer space with the aliens and Mouse and then _boom_ , I crashed through Light and was with Pa.

 

"Sort of, but he thinks that I got you from him and Red so he thinks that you belong to them."

 

"But I belong to you?"

 

Pa grins at me, his mouth stretched wide. "Exactly."

 

"Old Tom and Red are stupids!"

 

After, I eat a little of my cornflakes and put the teensy bit I left back in the box, and me and Pa brush our teeth. There's no water to wash out our mouths with so the toothpaste feels all weird in my mouth. We do some Stretch after but Pa is only half trying. I run around Room to stop being so cold -  Heater isn't on either and my arms keep going all bumpy under my jumper.

 

"My ears feel funny." I say in between laps.

 

"It's because it's so quiet, you're not hearing the hum from the fridge or the heater."

 

"When's Old Tom going to stop punishing us?"

 

"Soon, probably. They can't keep the power off forever." His voice sounds a bit odd, not the scratchy odd but a different odd.

 

We do Scream except not really because it's only me. Pa says that his voice hurts too much. I scream and scream and scream, but the aliens still don't scream back. They never do.

 

We have bread for lunch and we use up the last of the cheese, but we can't melt it today. Pa doesn't eat much of his and gives it to me.

 

Pa gets the encyclopaedia out and we play the guessing game. I know what tree is and what grass is, and Pa explains to me what a bike is. Pa takes a nap after so I get out Eggsnake and play with him under the table. Mr Spider hasn't come back yet; maybe Pa went smack when I wasn't looking.

 

Dinner is bread again, this time we have cucumber with in them. I wanted pasta, but we can't because we have no water to make it all soft.

 

Later we skip Bath because even though the water has been turned back on, all that comes out is freezing cold water, _brr_. Pa says I can sleep in Bed tonight.

 

"Won't they come in?" I ask. I can't remember a night when they didn't. It's what always happens, I can't imagine it not.

 

"Not tonight." Pa sounds sure. I snuggle under Blanket with him and have lots from the left after he does the spell. Light goes off when the numbers on Watch read 7:45. We sing to each other in the dark until we go to sleep.

 

He was right. There's no thuds and Door doesn't go _beep beep beep._

 

  

* * *

 

When I wake up the next morning Pa is sitting in Chair Number Two, in his warm clothes. Light is on but nothing else. He's tapping on Table, a quiet du, du, du. It's the only real noise in Room, except our breaths. There's still no hum from Fridge or Heater.

 

He says, "Scorpius, I need to tell you something."

 

I rub my face tiredly. "What?" I yawn.

 

"Sit down." I keep Blanket wrapped around me as I climb out of Bed and sit in Chair Number One. Pa doesn't say anything.

 

"I'm hungry." My tummy feels all empty and I'm supposed to be having breakfast now.

 

"You can eat in a minute." Pa says. He rubs his forehead like he's got a big headache. The dark around his eye has gone grey, and the dirt on his neck has gone purple.

 

"You remember Mouse, Scorp?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"Do you know where Mouse is now?"

 

"He's in outer space with his Pa."

 

Pa shakes his head.

 

"No, he's in a basement-"

 

"What's a basement?"

 

"A section of a house which is underground -"

 

"Like a _TV_ house?" Mouse is in outer space with all the TV planets, like Teletubbies and the one with Dinosaurs.

 

"No, Scorp. A real house. As real as you or me. I had a name, Draco Malfoy-"

 

"What?" I don't understand. How can a house fit inside Room? And how does Pa have another name? He's just Pa.

 

"And we're in the basement. Old Tom and Red, they live upstairs, in the normal world. We live underneath them, because they lock us in."

 

"What?" This time it's me who's stuck on repeat.

 

Pa sighs.

 

"The Outside? That's real, Scorp. Those things you see on TV - grass, cats, dogs, trees - they're all real. Every single one of them."

 

"Dinosaurs and Teletubbies are real for real?"

 

Pa sighs again.

 

"No, those are films. They're made with real things, real props and actors, but they're not sentient. The Dinosaurs in that film we watched? They're just pieces of plastic."

 

"I. . . don't understand." How? How? How?

 

"You remember how Mouse vanished and you thought she had gone into outer space? She actually went through a hole into the basement. We can't just leave because Old Tom and Red lock us in every night. That beeping noise you hear? That's them typing in the code."

 

"Why don't _you_ just type in the code, then?"

 

" _Because I don't know it_! When I was seventeen, I was on my way to visit my cousin-"

 

"What's a cousin?"

 

"My Mother's sister's grandchild, anyway, I was on my way to visit them-"

 

"You have a Mother?" Pa groans and puts his head in his hands.

 

"Yes! I have a Mother and a Father, and an Aunt and a cousin. I was on my way to visit them when Red ran up to me and said her dog was having a fit-"

 

"Where was I?"

 

"You weren't here yet. I went with her to help the dog-"

 

"What's the dog's name?"

 

"There wasn't a dog! Old Tom and Red stole me! You see this bracelet?" He points to the gold band around his wrist, his bad one.

 

"It stops me from using my magic properly. I had my wand but it was completely useless, they took it and I don't know where it is."

 

"No way! Magic is just TV and stories!"

 

"I'm getting to that! I couldn't use my magic because there was this. . . fight, against good guys and bad guys. I was on the side of the bad guys, and the good guys won, so I restrictions on my magic-"

 

"How could you be bad? You're Pa."

 

Pa couldn't ever be bad. Old Tom and Red - they're the bad ones.

 

"It's. . . it's a long story, I'll tell you later. But I couldn't fight my way out with magic, and I couldn't do it physically, so I was stuck here with no one but myself."

 

"I don't like this story."

 

I don't think he hears me because he keeps going.

 

"And they made me not fight - they tied me to the bed so I couldn't move during the day, they starved me so I wouldn't be able to fight them and . . . before you, a year before you, I had another child. A girl. I named her Lyra; it's a star constellation, like Scorpius." His voice goes into a whisper.

 

"I have a sister?"

 

Pa shakes his head, looking anywhere but me.

 

"You almost did. She was born prematurely, which means she wasn't ready to come out when she did. She was so sick, but they refused to take her to hospital. She died after a few days and they took her body and they never even mentioned it. As if she hadn't been here. I gave up after that."

 

"But then you got me?"

 

"Yeah, the one bright thing in my life." He does a snorty-crying thing. It means he's sad but pretending not to be.

 

"But I still don't understand? How can everything be real and not just TV? How does it all fit?"

 

"It's complicated, but I need you to trust me, okay? Because we're going to escape."

 

"But you said we couldn't open Door!"

 

"Not now, but we're going to trick them into opening it for us."

 

"And then what?"

 

Pa suddenly looks confused. "Well, we'll get help and go to hospital probably and then, I'm not sure, probably go live with my parents. It's where I was living before they took me."

 

"What do you do in the real world? I still don't get it. What's the point? We have everything in it that we need, anyway." I don't like the idea of leaving Room. Room is what keeps us safe from the outer space aliens and monsters. Do they have aliens and monsters in the Outside that isn't outer space?

 

Pa's face goes flat and I know that I've said something very bad. He rubs his forehead again.

 

"We don't, Scorp. We have next to nothing. I know you don't get it because this stinking Room is the only thing you've ever known-"

 

"Room isn't stinky!"

 

"I meant that - it doesn't matter. You've missed out on so much. You don't even know what the sun looks like." Pa's hand goes up to his mouth.

 

"I just want you to be safe!" His voice has gone wobbly and I jump out of Chair Number One, dropping Blanket, and hug Pa, climbing into his lap. He wraps his arms around me and holds me close.

 

"Does that mean that Mouse might come back?" I ask hopefully.

 

"Maybe. I tried to block off the hole, but they can just dig in somewhere else."

 

"Hey! Why don't we just dig out?"

 

"I tried that. You know what I found?"

 

I don't.

 

"Chain link fence, all around the walls and under the floor. No matter how much of the wall we got rid off, we would have nothing to cut it with. I'll show you."

 

He pushes me off his lap and then goes down on his belly under Bed. I slither in next to him. He takes hold of my wrist and pulls it towards the corner. The air suddenly feels colder and I jump when my hand touches metal.

 

"It goes all around the basement." Pa says as he wriggles out from underneath Bed. He lays on it and leans against the wall. I grab Blanket and sit in his lap.

 

"Room is. . . underneath a house? And not a TV house?"

 

"A real house. Not a flat one like in TV. I used to live in one with my parents, it was huge and had acres of land attached to it."

 

"Why's you say your name was Draco Malfoy?"

 

Pa shrugs. "It is. When I was born that's what my parents named me. After a star constellation, it was tradition. That's where your name comes from, another constellation."

 

"Do I have a second name?"

 

"Malfoy. You're my son, so you have the same last name as me."

 

"What's Outside like?"

 

"It's. . . huge. It goes on and on and it never finishes. There's always something new. You don't really think about it much when you have it all, but it's the little things you miss. Like the smell after it rained, or waking up to the sun."

 

"Is the sea real?"

 

"Yes. A lot of the outside is the sea."

 

"Wouldn't you drown?"

 

"There's enough land to balance it out." Pa says.

 

Wow, it must be a lot, even though I can't quite imagine it.

 

"How long have you not been in the Outside?"

 

Pa goes very quiet and his hands go very tight around me.

 

"They took me in late May 1998, that's when I was seventeen. I was practically eighteen then, so almost eight years."

 

"When They come back, I'm gonna kick them in the butts!"

 

Pa does a snorty laugh. "You can leave that to me. In the meantime do you want some breakfast?"

 

We have cornflakes like we normally do, and I ask Pa questions and questions and questions. I'm still not sure entirely sure if I believe him, he makes up my stories when it's time to go into Wardrobe, so what if he's making this up now?

 

According to Pa, dragons exist, but only in the magic part. The magic part of the world and the not magic part exist at the same time, but the magic part is hidden because not much of the world is magic.

 

After breakfast we do Stretch, and then I do some running, more than usual because it's still cold. Heater and Fridge still haven't come back on, neither has Lamp or TV. Then once I'm warm enough we sit at Table to think.

 

"What if you just went _SMACK_ and then ran?"

 

Pa shakes his head. "I tried that once. That why Toilet doesn't have a lid anymore - I waited behind Door until they came in, only Old Tom that time, and I smashed it over his head. But I wasn't quick enough - he grabbed me by the wrist," He holds up Bad Wrist. "and that's why it's sore now. I tried throwing anything I could get my hands on them, even the Rubbish Bag once, but it didn't work."

 

I giggle. I would've loved to see Pa throw Rubbish Bag at them.

 

"C'mon Scorp, we must be missing something. . ." He says my name but I don't really think he's talking to me.

 

He goes silent for a moment then he suddenly gasps. I jump.

 

"I have an idea, we could pretend you were sick, and then They could take you to the hospital, and then you could shout for help and tell them everything -"

 

"Uh, no thanks."

 

"Scorpius, it's the only chance we have-"

 

"No! No! No! No! No!" I sing. Pa groans.

 

"We would have to make your face really hot, when they turn the water back on for real, and then I could make it look like you were sick. When you got to the hospital it you would only have to talk to them for a little bit before they come to find me-"

 

"I don't want to do your stupid plan! I don't want to leave Room! I want to stay here forever and ever and ever!" I cry. Pa's face goes flat.

 

"You're right, it was too dangerous. I guess we'll just stay here, right? Until they get bored and then starve us to death, it'll be all fun and games, right?" Pa's voice is different to what it is normally. He stands up from Chair Number One and goes to Bed, and falls on it like a zombie. He doesn't move, just pulls Blanket over him. I think he falls asleep after a bit.

 

I can't watch TV, so I take Car from Wardrobe. It's cold when I touch it.

 

Suddenly, I'm angry. I'm angry at Red and Old Tom for making Pa hurt and making him sad, and I'm angry at Pa for trying to make us leave Room.

 

I rip the rubbery wheel from Car and throw it in the direction of Bath. It's weird but it makes me feel a little less angry. Balancing carefully, I stand on Table and pull Car apart, throwing the pieces around Room. When all that's left is the seats, I throw it in the direction of Rubbish Bag.

 

Pa still isn't awake, so I jump down from Table, landing on my feet not my butt, which is what Pa always says will happen if I jump. Ha ha Pa! You're wrong and I'm right!

 

I go back to Wardrobe and reach under Pillow or Lollipop. It's still there in its wrapper. I pull off the see-through plastic and take a lick. It's tastes sour, but in a nice sort of way. I take another lick.

 

I glance over at Bed and freeze when I see that Pa's eyes are open and staring right at me. I take another lick. Pa shuts his eyes and rolls over.

 

I lick Lollipop until there's nothing left on the stick and then throw it in Rubbish Bag. Pa still hasn't come back yet, he's still in his Gone Day mode.

 

I take TV's remote and point it at him, pressing the red ON/OFF button. It doesn't work, it never does on him. I point it at TV instead, and then jump when the colours and the flat faces and the noises come back on.

 

"Pa!" I poke him. "The powers back, it's back!" I poke him until he pushes my hand away from his face.

   
He does eventually get up, but moves around like a zombie again.

 

"Scorp, listen, we have to do it now."

 

Okay, maybe not exactly like a zombie.

 

"You know I wouldn't make you do it if I didn't have to, but it needs to be done, we have to escape, or we'll die."

 

"Can you come with me?" I sniff.

 

"They won't let me, but I can try. But when they take you to hospital and you tell them everything, they'll come and find Room, and then I'll be right there with you." He's kneeling in front of me, his hands on my cheeks.

 

"Why can't Grandma and Grandpa just come and find Room?"

 

"Because Room isn't on any map. They need more directions to be able to find us."

 

"Okay." I say after a minute. "But only if I get to see a real-life dragon."

 

"Deal." Pa kisses my forehead.

 

He boils lots of water and I run around Room to make myself hot. We have Quick Noodles for dinner, and Pa gives most of his to me because I'm going to need lots of strength when I get out into the real world.

 

I do more and more running, until the numbers on Watch read 18:50. That's when Pa makes me lie in Bed and puts a note in my underwear to give to Outside people in case I forget anything, and then dips a rag in the hot water.

 

"Ow!" I wince when he puts it on my face. It's hot, far hotter than I thought it would be, and it burns.

 

"Sorry, sorry, but we need to make it look real."

 

He keeps dipping it back in the water until my face feels like it's on fire. He suddenly sticks his fingers into his mouth and gags, and wipes the smelly bits of food in my hair.

 

"Sorry, I have to make you look sick."

 

Why can't _he_ be the one being covered in smelly sick?

 

"I'm scared." I whisper.

 

"I know," Pa whispers back. "but I'll be right there, in your head the whole time."

　

There's a thud and Pa kicks the bucket of boiling water under Bed. I gasp.

　

_Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

 


	3. Chapter 3

I squeeze my eyes tightly shut when Door goes _beep beep beep_ and They come in. Pa's hand stays in my hair, and I think it's shaking a bit. I would be shaking if I was about to leave Room, too.

 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry - He's sick. When the power went off he got so cold, and I don't know what to do! Please, c-can you take him to hospital? Please?"

 

I peek through my eyelashes and then squeak when a hand goes towards my face. It's not Pa's hand, it's Old Tom's, and then his hand is on my head and Pa Pa _Pa, he's touching me he's touching and I don't like it I don't want to be half real help!_

 

"Can you? Can you take him? Please?"

 

"Just shut up a minute!" Old Tom yells. I jump but Pa doesn't stop.

 

"I don't know what to do he's so hot and I've no medication please take him to hospital I'm begging you!"

 

"SHUT UP!" Old Tom roars. Pa goes quiet.

 

"I'll. . . get him some antibiotics, give them to you tomorrow. I'll come a few hours earlier."

 

"No! Please take him to hospital, I don't know what's wrong and he's been getting worse all day-!"

 

Door goes BANG and then Room is almost quiet again. Pa makes a noise like he's doing scream except it's more gaspy, and he kicks Door. He yells a bad word, and then some more.

 

"A-Am I still going to go?" I say from Bed.  Pa leans against Door and slides down until I can only see his head.

 

"No, not tonight." He says after a minute or two. I push Blanket off of me and go over to him and sit next to him. Pa wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his lap.

 

"We'll find a way." He says, but I think he's talking to himself and not me. "There has to be a way."

 

I don't see how, but Pa sounds sure. I big bit of me hopes that he's wrong, because the Outside seems scary because it's where Old Tom and Red come from and I don't want to be in a place where they live. I want to stay in Room with Pa, Room is safer.

 

When Pa gets up off the floor we have Bath, and Pa scrubs at my hair extra hard to get the sick out. We're both too tired to splash around, so we finish Bath quicker than usual. I go over to Wardrobe, but Pa steers me towards Bed.

 

I guess Old Tom won't come back tonight.

 

Pa doesn't sing or tell me a story, instead he just does the spell and I have lots from the right until I -

 

* * *

 

It's a position he's been in before.

 

Hand clamped over his mouth, breathing heavily through his nose as his cheeks become wet with tears. He can't let Scorpius see, he can't let him know the extent of his despair. He can never know.

 

He looks towards the bed, and watches the steady rise and fall of Scorpius' chest. His son. The most important thing, the only thing that matters is that Scorpius survives, that he lives and is loved.

 

He knows that there's a possibility that when (if) he manages to somehow get Scorpius out, that they will come back for him, and there will be no happy ending. But his parents - surely they would care for him? Surely they wouldn't abandon him just because he wasn't pureblood? He didn't think Scorpius was a pureblood - but he had no way to be sure.

 

But whatever happens, he knows they can't stay in Room. Not in this wretched basement. They're getting bored of him, they want something else. Somebody else. He can't let them have Scorpius. They can have him - They have him, all of him, but he can't just let them hurt Scorpius. Scorpius is untouchable.

 

He takes a deep breath, a futile attempt to stop the tears making their way down his face. It does the opposite, and he only cries harder. And at the back of his mind, as he sobs silently, a plan forms.

 

  

* * *

 

"I don't get it." I say, swallowing my cornflakes. I think that Pa's gone loopy.

 

"You're going to. . . to play dead. And then they'll take you out, and put you in the back of their truck, and then you'll jump out and run to the first person you see."

 

"I don't want to be dead."

 

"You won't really be dead, though. You'll just be pretending."

 

"But won't they see?"

 

"We'll wrap you up in rug, and then when they put you in the back of the truck, you'll wiggle out."

 

"I don't. . . I don't want to. . ." It sounds scary and I want nothing to do with it. If Pa's so desperate to leave why can't he be pretend-dead?

 

Pa's face twists and he looks away. "Sometimes I have to decide for both of us. And that's what I'm doing now. I'm deciding for both of us, that you'll do it."

 

"But-"

 

"Scorpius, this is our last chance." Pa doesn't say anything else, and I can't think of an argument that's good enough to let us stay in Room. I gulp and fiddle with Meltedy spoon.

 

"Will you be with me?" I ask. Pa shakes his head.

 

"No - I'll be here. They won't let me out."

 

"But I can tell Outside persons to go here?"

 

"Yeah, and you'll have the note in your pocket. You'll be fine."

 

  

* * *

 

After we finish breakfast we do Running and Stretch, but much more today because I'm going to be in the Outside in some hours. Pa says I need to make sure I'll have enough energy.

 

After we do Running and Stretch, and Pa keeps Table on top of Bed and makes me lie down on Rug and wraps me up in it.

 

It don't like it. It's dark and too hot and my face goes all sweaty and I can't breathe.

 

"Pa!" I yell. "I can't breathe, Pa!" I roll as Pa unwraps Rug. I take in a big gulp of air.

 

"Lets do it another way."

 

"No, we're doing it like this. I know you don't like it and it's horrible, but I pick for both of us."

 

It's not fair, _he's_ not the one whose being wrapped up and forced to leave Room.

 

We practise practise practise, until my face is burning and my legs are bruised from wiggling so much. I want to stop and stay stopped forever, but Pa doesn't let me. He wraps me up in Rug and makes me wiggle out over and over until I want to yell mean things and bad words.

 

I have some from the left after lunch (cheese and toast) and Pa strokes my hair and sings. I almost fall asleep, Pa stops me by making me go over the plan for The Great Escape.

 

"Dead. Truck. Wiggle Out. Jump. Run. Somebody." I recite.

 

"Not quite, you wait for the truck to stop before you jump, and then when it rolls to a stop, that's when you jump."

 

"What somebody?"

 

"Anybody. The first person you see."

 

"An actual real-life person?"

 

"As real as you and me."

 

"What if I get stuck in Rug?"

 

"You won't. Just wiggle. You have the note?"

 

"It's in my underpants." The same note before is in my underpants again. It says: _Help! Draco Malfoy is my father, trapped in basement somewhere_. There wasn't enough room to write anything else, I have to remember that.

 

"What if my words don't come?"

 

Pa is quiet for a second. "I keep forgetting you've never spoken to anybody else but me." I don't get how Pa forgot. He remembers everything else.

 

Pa suddenly does a sort of smile and pulls me close.

 

"You're going to love it."

 

"What?" I say into his chest.

 

"The World."

 

"If you're with me."

 

"Of course I'll be with you." His voice cracks, like on the night Old Tom went mad.

 

He squeezes me tight until there's a loud thud. We both gasp and I shove Bad Tooth into my mouth so I don't loose it. I quickly lie straight in Rug and Pa wraps me up tight. I'm almost properly inside when Door goes _Beep Beep Beep._

 

"What the fu-?"

 

"He got worse in the night." Pa cries. "He didn't wake up!"

 

Old Tom says a bad word.

 

"Are you sure?" Red asks.

 

"Am I sure? No! No, don't touch him, don't touch him!" Pa's almost screaming and I cringe.

 

"There's a few hours until dark, we can take him away. Give him here-"

 

Something pushes Rug on me and I squeeze my lips together tightly, making the sounds stay all the way inside.

 

"Swear to me that you won't touch him! Or even look at him! Swear to me that you won't lay your filthy fucking eyes on him!" Pa yells. He sounds so mad that I almost feel sorry for them. Almost except not at all really.

 

"I swear!" And then someone else is picking me up and moving and Pa _Pa Pa I want Pa I don't like this!_

 

There's the sound of them taping in the secret code and through the top of Rug I can see Pa's face. It's pink and wet and looking right at me and breathing hard. And then there's a rush of cold air as Door opens and I'm _out_.

 

I try not to breathe in case They hear and unwrap me and kill me for real and I'll never go in the Outside and Pa will be alone for ever and ever and ever. I have to after a few seconds, but They're talking and don't hear.

 

"Absolute mess-"

 

"Should've killed the brat when-" Door makes the thud noise and Old Tom swears.

 

There's suddenly an umpth umpth umpth umpth umpth umpth umpth umpth umpth and I don't know why. I can't be in the Outside yet- there's no grass or cats or dogs.

 

Then there's another thud on ground and then I'm being dragged and then lifted again. There's a clicky sound and suddenly something really, really cold and hard hits my face. I peek out of the gap and it's blurry for a second but then I see grass - real grass - and steps and streets and houses and truck.  There's a hard thud and I squeeze my lips shut so I don't make a noise.

 

_Outside!_

 

There's a slam and another one and then there's a _vrooom_ sound like my car only it's louderer. That means truck's moving.

 

Dead. Truck. Wiggle Out. Slow. Jump. Run. Somebody.

 

I'm past Dead and in Truck. I have to do Wiggle Out now. But it's hard because I can't breathe and I'm scared because if they see I'm alive then they're going to eat me up  and I want Pa. I've never been on my own and I never want to be alone again.

 

I wiggle and wiggle until I see a sort of gap, not like the end gap but a different gap. I wiggle some more until my hand comes free then I yank it down and squeeze my eyes tight shut because it's so bright and it hurts and it's so colourful and it goes on and on and on and _I want Pa._

 

Truck suddenly stops and I remember four, Jump. I crawl over to the side of truck and get one leg over, but then it goes like whoosh and I fall back hard. I hear another lot of bad words and my hearts going bang bang bang inside my ribs because Old Tom and Red have seen me they've seen me and they're going to eat me and kill me for real.

 

Then truck stops again and I jump without thinking. They ground hits me hard and I want to cry but no sound comes out.

 

Run. Somebody.

 

I run and run and run and then I smack into a Somebody. I open my mouth to yell but I've lost my words.

 

And then I'm being pulled up and it's Old Tom and no no no he's not supposed to catch me and -

 

"Hey, man, is your little girl okay?" I think that's the Somebody.

 

"It's under control." Old Tom says. I don't know where Red is and I don't care.

 

He starts dragging me away but I can't go I can't I need to give Somebody the note I'm -

 

"Pa!" I scream the only word that will come out. "Help me!"

 

And then there's a crack and Old Tom howls! He yelps and smells like Room did when Pa burnt cheese and then I'm not screaming words I'm just screaming and then the grounds coming to my face and umpth Old Tom isn't holding me and I curl up and cry for Pa.

 

"Hey," The Somebody says. "are you okay, sweetie?"

 

I can't say anything, my words have vanished and I can't find them and I'm messing it up because I can't remember what I'm supposed to say and I wish Pa was here.

 

I'm in the world and now I want out. I want to go back to Room with Pa and Eggsnake and Bed and Sink and Wardrobe. I brush my hand across the grass, feeling it. It's cold and wet. There's a leaf, but it's not green, it's yellow and crispy. I didn't know you got yellow leaf's. I clutch it in my hand.

 

"Hello, we got a call earlier." Another voice says. I jump.

 

"She jumped out of some guys truck and then ran into me, screaming and crying. She was yelling for somebody, and then this guy came and tried to drag her away and then he suddenly started screaming. There was a woman with him, too." The Somebody says.

 

"Thank you for staying with her." The Another Voice bends down next to me.

 

"Hello, sweetheart, could you tell me your name?" He says.

 

"Scorpius." I whisper.

 

"What was that, honey?"

 

"Scorpius." I say a little louder. The man blinks and looks surprised.

 

"Oh." He says. "Scorpius, can you come with me to that car over there, just so we can get out of the rain to talk?"

 

I look to where he points, and there's a shiny car. Like the one that Old Tom and Red got me, except it's much much much bigger and there's another person in the front. It's Outside sized. I stand up and go to the car. The man has to open the door for me and then I climb inside and it's not cold anymore it's warm and dry.

 

"I'm Auror Potter." Auror Potter says when he gets in behind me. He shuts the door and I jump at the noise. I didn't know the Outside was going to be so loud.

 

"Say Scorpius, could you tell me how you got here?"

 

"You told me to get in the car." The other one makes a weird snorty noise. His hair is bright orange. I didn't know hair could be that bright, Pa never told me.

 

"I meant out there." He points to the Outside, with all the grass and cats and dogs and dragons.

 

"Pa said."

 

"What exactly did he say?" Auror Potter asks.

 

"He said that we couldn't stay in Room anymore and that we had to leave."

 

"Where's Room, Scorpius?" That's the other one. I don't know how to answer that. I suddenly remember Pa's tooth. I spit it out in my hand and hold it tightly.

 

"What's that?" Potter asks. He reaches over but I snatch it away.

 

"A bit of Pa."

 

"Does Pa have a name?" asks Potter. I nod. He has two but I can't remember what they are. Potter nods and writes something down.

 

"Who else do you live with, Scorpius?"

 

"Just Pa. Old Tom and Red live in the Outside."

 

"The Outside?"

 

"No, no, not the Outside. They live in the Upstairs."

 

"So you and Pa live below them?" Potter scribbles something.

 

"We live below in the -! The. . . Basement!" I remember.

 

"Those people with you, did you know them? Is that Pa and your mum?"

 

I shake my head. "No, that's Old Tom and Red."

 

"So, you live with Pa, Old Tom and Red?"

 

"Sort of but not really."

 

"Sort of?" Orange repeats.

 

"Yeah, 'cause they live Upstairs in the Outside and me and Pa live in the inside. We only see them when they bring us food or Sundaytreat."

 

"Right okay, is there daylight in this Room, Scorpius?" I shake my head.

 

"We have Light and Lamp and Fridge's light, except when they cut the power and then we don't." Orange takes a deep breath and Auror Potter goes pale.

 

"Scorpius, do you and Pa ever go Outside?"

 

"No, we don't know how to open the door. There's a super secret code that makes Door go beep three times, but they never told us it." Orange opens his mouth then closes it again. I don't know why. Auror Potter looks confused.

 

"So, how come you're out now?" He asks.

 

"I was pretend-dead in rug. Pa said we had to leave so he made me look sick, but they didn't take me away to hospital. So then I had to play dead inside rug."

 

"Scorpius, what does Pa look like?"

 

I tug on my hair. "He has the same hair as me, and the same eyes. He is taller and I can count all his ribs. And he has a bad wrist with a bracelet and a tattoo on the same arm." I add.

 

"How come he's got a bad wrist?" Orange asks.

 

"'cause he tried to hit Old Tom with Toilet's top but Old Tom grabbed him and it snapped."

 

"Is there anything that would help you remember Pa's name?"

 

I stare at Pa's tooth, and suddenly remember the note in my underwear. I stick my hand down my trousers and hand it to Auror Potter. He opens it and his eyes go big and wide.

 

"What is it?" Orange asks.

 

"Holy. . . Well, that explains some things." He hands the note to Orange and Orange mouths something to Auror Potter.

 

"Merlin's beard." Orange mumbles out loud. I don't know who that is. I tug on Potter's sleeve.

 

"Can you find Pa?"

 

He nods. "Okay, okay, so you jumped out of the truck, why at that moment did you choose to jump?"

 

"Pa said in my head, Rug, Truck, Slow, Jump, Run, Somebody. I was meant to jump when it slowed down but I couldn't."

 

"Why couldn't you?"

 

"Because I was still in rug. Then it slowed again and I went to jump but then everything went sideways."

 

"Sideways?" Orange asks. I show him. He nods. Potter scribbles something down.

 

"Was that the only time truck went sideways?"

 

I think. No, right near the start it did that. "No, it did it once before."

 

Potter nods, I think he knows what he needs to find Pa now. He takes out a stick - no, a _wand!_ \- and starts talking into it.

 

"We may have a lead on Draco Malfoy, missing persons case from 1998, check muggle satellite images for a red pick up in the drive away, me and Ron are heading toward the possible location of where Malfoy's being held. Taking the car, the kid is safe with us." I don't know what half those words mean and I'm to tired to ask. I just want Pa.

 

I wonder what Pa's doing in Room without me. He must be lonely, like I am when he has a Gone Day.

 

But what if Old Tom and Red went back after I jumped? What if they're in Room now, making it bad and filthy? What if they're going after Pa?

 

What if Pa doesn't come out of Room and leaves me on my own for ever and ever? What if Pa was lying and I've become only half-real?

 

What if they're snapping him like they snapped his wrist? What if they snap him so much he has a Gone day but never comes back? What if he turns into a zombie? I'm suddenly crying so hard I can't breathe. Someone asks what's wrong but I don't know which.

 

"They're hurting Pa! They're gonna make him snap forever and ever and ever!" I wail like a TV baby.

 

I don't realise that the car thing isn't moving anymore. We've stopped.

 

* * *

 

 

It is so quiet, and he despises it. It is unbearable.

 

Room isn't supposed to be quiet. It's supposed to be loud and full of Scorpius.

 

Draco sinks down onto Chair Number One, and buries his head in his hands. He can't believe what he's done, not really. It feels kind of surreal to him. The tiny room where he has been trapped for seven years suddenly feels too big.

 

He's not sure how long he sits there, lost in his own sorrow. He's cried so much that he doesn't think he can physically do it anymore. He can't stop the anxious thoughts rushing through his head - did it work? Is Scorpius okay? Did Old Tom or Red find him before he jumped? Is he safe?

 

The plan was so stupid. So many things to go wrong. If Scorpius had done so much as breathe too loudly then they'd know, and if they knew they'd unwrap him and then they'd, they'd-

 

A thud sounds from Outside, and he freezes. Another thud, then someone's banging on Door. He jumps up from his seat and wrings his hands out anxiously.

 

"This is the Aurors! Do not be alarmed, we have to shoot the lock off. Stand back!" Draco obliges, walking backwards until his back hits the wall, still dazed by the fact that his dumb plan actually worked-

 

 _bang!_ He flinches, watching Door as it swings open, revealing a group of Aurors. He takes in their faces, not even registering that Harry fucking Potter is standing there with Ronald fucking Weasley, not caring because he can't see Scorpius, he can't see him, he's not there - oh no the plan fucked up-

 

"Malfoy," Potter says stepping forwards into Room. He doesn't realise that he's started hyperventilating until Potter starts matching their breathing, getting them to breathe together.

 

"S-Scorpius?" He manages to choke out. To his surprise, Potter smiles.

 

"He's outside, he's safe, Malfoy. You're both safe now."

 

He stumbles forward, and the Aurors, save for Weasley and Potter, move out of the way. He takes one last look at Room, wondering if this is all a dream and if the door is going to slam shut in his face and he'll wake up next to Scorpius in bed.

 

He steps over the threshold and, for the first time in years, he allows himself to break down into loud, unbearable sobs.

 

  

* * *

 

It's dark and I'm alone in the Outside sized car and I want Pa so bad. There're lots of people dressed in weird dress type clothes and jackets and boots but _no Pa._

 

I count up to seventy five and I still can't see Pa. Auror Potter and Orange haven't come back yet. I want to open Car's door and go run out and find him myself but I can't figure out how to make it click and open. I'm pulling the handle thing but it doesn't work. I'm crying again but I can't help it because I _want Pa so bad._

 

And then I see a flash of white hair and I'm screaming and hitting the glass because Pa Pa Pa Pa Pa -

 

"Scorpius? Where is he, where is he?" I think that's what Pa yells. I don't hear him properly over my own voice.

 

"Pa! Pa I'm in this one!" I shriek, punching the glass.

 

He runs at the car and pulls the door open and I'm falling into him and hugging him tight because it's Pa, Pa's alive Old Tom and Red didn't snap him he's alive alive alive and _Outside_!

 

"Pa," I croak.

 

"You did it, Scorp. My brave dragon slayer." He whispers against my hair. His voice sounds croaky too. And then someone says something and Pa's lifting me back into the car and shutting the door.

 

The two other doors open and shut loudly.

 

"Alright, Malfoy, we're taking you to St Mungos. The car way is quicker. I don't want to risk splinching you or Scorpius." Auror Potter says. I don't know what splinching is or what St Mungos is. I want to ask Pa.

 

"Pa, can we go to Bed?" I ask instead. He laughs. I don't know what's so funny.

 

"Yeah, they'll take us somewhere to sleep soon."

 

"No, but Bed, in Room." Pa stares at me. Aurors Potter and Orange have gone quiet too. I don't like them listening to me and Pa.

 

"We're Outside now, Scorpius." Pa says slowly.

 

"Yeah. I've seen the Outside and I'm tired of it."

 

"We're not going back, Scorp."

 

I cry all the way to the St Mungos place with my face pressed into Pa's chest. I think he might be crying too.

 

    

* * *

 

 

  
The car stops suddenly and Pa doesn't let me go. My face is in his shoulder so I don't see anyone but I hear a clicking noise when he opens Car's door. Lots of clicking noises, actually.

 

"Vultures," Potter says. Pa mutters a bad word. I don't think anyone else heard it.

 

"No pictures!" Ginger shouts. Pictures? Like TV pictures? I try to move my head to look but Pa's hand keeps it in place.

 

He keeps walking and suddenly it's warm and far too bright. He lets me look but I can do it only for a second before it gets too much and I have to squeeze my eyes shut.

 

"Mr Malfoy, we'll need to run some tests, as soon as possible." I jump. I hadn't realised there were more people in the place. Does everybody in the Outside talk so loudly?

 

"Can it wait?" Pa sounds so tired.

 

"I'm afraid not, Mr Malfoy."

 

"Why not?" He sounds annoyed.

 

"They'll need it for evidence, Malfoy." Orange says. He says it firmly but not meanly. Pa swallows.

 

"What do you need?"

 

The newer voice speaks. "We'll need hair, urine, blood, spit, anal-"

 

"Okay, okay, I understand, but I can't leave Scorpius."

 

"He can wait outside with us, if you want, Malfoy." Pa pauses, then brushes my hair out of my face.

 

"You hear that, Scorp?" I nod, "I'll be in here, and you'll be just outside. If you need me just yell. Can you do that for me?"  He points to the door we came in to get to this room. I didn't know there was so much rooms and doors.

 

"No." I whisper. I can't let him go, I only just got him back.

 

"I thought you we're going to be a brave Prince dragon slayer?"

 

"I used up all my brave. Haven't got anymore. No can do."

 

"You still got bad tooth?"

 

"Yeah, I hid it from Them."

 

"Then you'll have a bit of me, all the time."

 

"But I want a bit of you here! I don't wanna go outside-"

 

"Hey, Scorpius, so you like dragons?" Auror Potter cuts in. I nod, not looking at him.

 

"Ron's brothers a dragon trainer. I'm sure he has a lot of interesting stories he could tell you."

 

"Yeah, all sorts." I don't want to go but Pa's nodding.

 

"See, you'll learn all sorts. And it'll only be a few minutes."

 

"Okay." I whisper. I hug him one last time before following Potter and Orange out of the room.

 

We sit down on soft chairs and no-one talks for a few seconds. I stare at Orange until he clears his throat.

 

"So, dragons?"

 

"Yeah. You said you had stories."

 

"I sure do. One of my brothers, Charlie, is a dragon trainer. He lives out in Romania-"

 

"What's Romania?"

 

"It's another country, it's really hot there." I nod even though I don't really know what a country is. Auror Potter is listening too.

 

"He gets into all sorts of trouble out there. You know what a Hungarian Horntail is?" I think he's asking me a question so I nod.

 

"They're quite vicious, and one time one of the larger females broke free of her enclosure-"

 

A flat square flicks into colours next to a lady behind a desk. I stop listening to Orange and stare at it. There's no sound but I can read it fine.

 

"Breaking news: Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy estate, has been found!" Above the words was a picture of Pa and I'm there too, but my face is hidden. I wonder if that was what the clicky noise was.

 

"Pa!" I interrupt Ginger.

 

"Yes, Scorp?" He calls back. Auror Potter gets up.

 

"We're on TV!"

 

Auror Potter presses something on the TV and it goes black. I don't get why he turned it off.

 

"Why did he turn it off?" I whisper to Orange. He looks at me funny.

 

"You know what that is?" I nod. "You've seen a noticeboard before?" I shake my head, it's a TV not a 'noticeboard'. Maybe in the Outside they call TV's noticeboards. Auror Potter comes back down and sits next to me. I rub my face.

 

"How long is Pa gonna be?" I ask.

 

"Not too long," Auror Potter says.

 

After what seems like hours and hours the doctor person sticks their head out of Pa's door.

 

"All done, now." He says. I jump up and run to Pa. He's sitting on the bed, wearing a weird paper dress thing with a hole down the back. I try to pull it down but Pa stops me.

 

"Later," He says. I curl into his lap instead. He's warm and I want to sleep right here but the other persons are too loud.

 

"Now, if I could just do a quick assessment of Scorpius-"

 

"No." Pa growls like a wolf.

 

"Mr Malfoy, Scorpius needs to be examined for any sign of -"

 

"Why? He's never been out of my sight! If anything had of happened to him then I would've known!" Pa's breathing sounds all funny, like the night Old Tom and Red turned the power off. It's still not a funny haha. His face is all red and his eyes are all watery.

 

"Alright, stand back. Hey, Draco, deep breaths, alright? In, out. With me," Auror Potter starts talking deep breaths. After a moment Pa's breathing goes normal again. He still looks like he's going to cry. Orange is talking to the other person. They come over again.

 

"Mr Malfoy, I understand that you do not want Scorpius to undergo a full examination. Can I just take his height and weight, just to see if he's progressing like an average child?" Her voice is quieter.

 

"Can't he do it in the morning? He's hardly going to drop dead overnight." Pa says. Ha, that's what he told Old Tom and Red. I suddenly wonder where they are.

 

She sighs. "First thing tomorrow. Now, we're having some food brought up to you both, and I suggest you both get a good night's sleep." She says, and then I think she makes everyone else leave because it's suddenly much quieter.

 

"And Mr Malfoy, if you have any worries, there is an emergency button next to your bed. I will bring up the food in a moment."

 

I lean against Pa and he lays down in the newer, softer bed and does the spell. I have lots from both and fall asleep to Pa singing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! (also he next chapter might take a whale to upload because I'm planning on making it really along)

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated!!!


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